ABDOMINAL PAIN

Abdominal pain has many possible causes some more serious than others. Often, time and treating the symptoms will help with discomfort, but there are times when seeking care is important.

Abdominal pain can be attributed to different factors and with different symptoms. A person may be experiencing pain within the abdominal areas due to a digestive related complication, and another may be dealing with something far from the norm.

WHEN SHOULD I SEEK IMMEDIATE CARE?

It’s advisable to consult with a doctor when the bouts of pain become too frequent. The health practitioner will ask you several questions to know more about how you are feeling to collect information they may need to determine the cause of your abdominal pain. The doctor will also conduct a physical exam and then assess the results of with that of the information you gave to pinpoint the cause of the pain and determine the best course of treatment.

If your pain is:

sudden and severe

associated with chest pain

prevents you from drinking fluids

associated with fevers

progressively worsens over hours

SEVERE SYMPTOMS?

EVALUATION

After obtaining a comprehensive history and physical your doctor will determine how to further evaluation and treat your abdominal pain. A variety of lab tests can help your doctor determine the cause of your abdominal pain:

CBC

CMP (including liver function tests)

lactate

urinalysis

Imaging studies may be indicated to diagnose your problem. Options at our

facility include:

CT scan

Bedside ultrasound

X-ray

IV and oral medications used to treat abdominal pain are tailored to your

individual needs by your doctor.

COMMON CAUSES OF ABDOMINAL PAIN

gastritis/ulcer disease

pancreatitis

cholecystitis

cholelithiasis

obstruction

colitis

diverticulitis

bowel perforation

constipation

urinary tract infection

pyelonephritis

kidney stones

Most health practitioners advise people to closely monitor their symptoms because they may suggest the possibility of severe issues that are yet to manifest. As such, patients should openly and honestly to their doctors giving precise details of their symptoms and how they feel for the doctor to develop an accurate diagnosis of the pain.

Some people battle with stomach pains to a point where they cannot handle their daily way of life, and they are strongly advised to see a physician and get suitable treatment. The treatment can offer full or partial relief from the stomach pain and discomfort. In some cases, more interventions may be necessary if the cause of the abdominal pain is known so are an effective course of treatment may be offered. Fortunately, most abdominal pain cases are not complicated and can be treated using simple medications and lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle Treatments For Abdominal Pain

If your doctor did not diagnose an obvious medical condition responsible for your pain, there are other options. A conservative approach is the first line of treatment for most cases of abdominal pain of a mild kind with much of the treatment being at-home interventions. Many of the said interventions depend on the specific symptoms and the individual. Some of the natural abdominal treatments include:

Taking plenty of fluids especially water.

Avoid certain foods particularly the fatty, acidic, and spicy kind.

Taking prescribed OTC medications made to treat abdominal pain.

As earlier mentioned, stomach pain is a common issue among the old and the young including babies. It is a health concern whose occurrence is linked to various conditions. Most health care practitioners rely on various information about the condition obtained from different sources to pinpoint the cause and give an accurate diagnosis though at times the actual cause of the pain and discomfort may be unknown.

Patients can be offered different treatment options for their symptoms and to relieve the stomach pain and discomfort. The treatments can be conservative (like taking more fluids) or slightly advanced options (such as taking stomach pain medications). The doctor will recommend the most suitable treatments based on the finds of the interview and physical tests.

If you are experiencing symptoms of abdominal pain and you can safely come to ER Specialists, we would love to help you. If you are alone or have any doubt about getting to our facility safely, or, believe you are experiencing a medical emergency please call 911.